IgE to cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants: analysis of the distribution and appraisal of the in vivo and in vitro reactivity

BACKGROUND: IgE to cross-reacting carbohydrate determinants has already been described by several authors, but their function and distribution are still a matter of debate. In previous studies we showed how the presence of IgE to bromelain could be a useful and simple marker of the presence of IgE to carbohydrate epitopes. METHODS: A survey of 1,831 subjects with a suspected allergic respiratory disease has been carried out by detecting IgE to bromelain. Data were analysed on the basis of demographical and allergological parameters. To find out whether a glycoprotein is capable of triggering an allergic reaction, 1,076 subjects were also skin tested with several purified molecules bearing carbohydrate side chains differing in number, composition and complexity. RESULTS: An overall prevalence of 23% of positive IgE to cross-reacting carbohydrate determinants was recorded. Prevalence varied when subsets of non-allergic (5%), non-pollen-allergic (10%), and pollen-allergic (31%) subjects were considered. Prevalence further increased in subsets with multiple pollen sensitization (71%), and with a previous pollen immunotherapy course (46%), whereas minor differences were found in gender and age distribution. Almost all the allergenic extracts recorded negative in the skin test gave a positive IgE test in vitro. A higher correlation was found mainly with plant-derived allergenic extracts, whereas a lower one was recorded with mites and fungi. Horseradish peroxidase was the only glycoprotein capable of exerting a positive skin test in 21% of the subjects with IgE to cross-reacting carbohydrate determinants, 80% of them having IgE to the HRP molecule. CONCLUSIONS: IgE to cross-reacting carbohydrate determinants are common among the allergic population and the binding to skin test negative allergenic extracts further confirms their poor biological activity. Further studies on horseradish peroxidase should be carried out to define the role of the glycan side chains in its allergenic activity.     

Olive oil,other dietary fats,and the risk of breast cancer (Italy)

Data from a multicenter case-control study on breast cancer conducted in Italy have been used to analyze the relationship of olive oil and other dietary fats to breast cancer risk. Cases were 2,564 women hospitalized with histologically confirmed, incident breast cancer. Controls were 2,588 women admitted to the same network of hospitals for acute, non-neoplastic, non-hormone related, on-digestive tract disorders. Cases and controls were interviewed between 1991 and 1994 using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. The data were modelled through multiple logistic regression controlling for demographic and reproductive breast-cancer risk factors, energy intake and, mutually, for types of dietary fat. For olive oil, compared with the lowest quintile, the odds ratios (OR) were 1.05, 0.99, 0.93, and 0.87 for increasing quintiles of intake; in a model postulating linear logit increase, the OR per unit (30g) was 0.89 (95 percent confidence interval [CI]=0.81–0.99, P=0.03). Among other oils or fats considered, the OR for the highest level of intake was 0.72 (CI=0.6–0.9) for a group of specific seed oils (including safflower, maize, peanut, and soya) compared with nonusers. The ORs for the highest cf lowest level of intake were 0.80 for mixed or unspecified seed oils, 0.95 for butter, and 0.96 for margarine. The study, based on a large dataset from various Italian regions, shows an inverse relationship of breast cancer risk with intake of olive oil and other vegetable oils, but not with butter or margarine.     

Possible correlation between low antigenic drift of A(H1N1) influenza viruses and induction of HI antibodies

This study examined whether, during a seven-year period of low A(H1N1) influenza virus antigenic drift (1988–1989 and 1994–1995, winters), humoral antibody response of elderly volunteers to influenza vaccines could suggest a lack of antibody pressure for drift. In all the years studied A/Taiwan/1/86, the A(HIN1) vaccine component, had a low ability to induce protective hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibody titres ( 1:40). However a similar low immunogenicity was found for some of the different A(H3N2) strain variants of influenza virus, co-circulating in the same period and showing a regular extent of antigenic variations.Although our data could be at least in part explained by the type of study population (elderly and repeatedly vaccinated), postepidemic serological studies did not evidence a consistently lower ability in mounting protective immune response in elderly people as compared with younger against the influenza strains studied. Therefore, our present results did not exclude a true low immunogenicity of A/Taiwan and of some A(H3N2) influenza strains, circulating in the winters examined. This suggests that, besides the necessity to evade prior immunity, additional factors could influence the frequency of influenza viruses antigenic drifts.Abbreviation HI hemagglutination inhibiting     

Dealumination and Characterization of Natural Mordenite-Rich Tuffs

The present study evaluates the feasibility of partially dealuminated natural mordenite as a catalyst support by studying improvement in its textural properties. This is the first study that reports the dealumination of natural zeolite-based tuffs from Ecuador. For this purpose, mordenite-rich tuffs were obtained from deposits close to Guayaquil, Ecuador. The raw material was micronized in order to increase its surface, and treated with NH₄Cl. NH₄⁺ cation-exchanged samples were finally reacted with HCl_(aq) to complete the dealumination process. The partially dealuminated samples were characterized using techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, SEM-EDS, and identification of their textural properties. Dealumination with HCl_(aq) increased the Si/Al ratio up to 9 and kept the crystallographic structure of natural mordenite, as XRD results showed that the structure of mordenite was not altered after the dealumination process. On the other hand, textural properties such as surface area and microporosity were improved as compared to natural mordenite. In view of these results, the feasibility of using natural mordenite as a catalyst support is discussed in this study.     

The opposing effects of the flavonoids isoquercitrin and sissotrin, isolated from Pterospartum tridentatum, on oral glucose tolerance in rats

The effect of an aqueous extract of Pterospartum tridentatum on the blood glucose levels of normal Wistar rats was investigated in a situation of oral glucose challenge. The extract at 300 mg/kg showed an antihyperglycaemic effect in the first 30 min after glucose challenge but then the blood glucose levels rose above those of the control group, indicating the presence of compounds with different effects on glucose tolerance. Nine compounds of isoflavone and flavonol skeletons were identified in the extract by HPLC-ESI-MS(n), four of them being identified for the first time in this species. The isoflavone sissotrin and the flavonol derivative, isoquercitrin, were selected for the oral glucose tolerance test. Isoquercitrin (100 mg/kg) showed time-dependent antihyperglycaemic activity by delaying the post-oral glucose load glycaemic peak at 30 min, as did the sodium-dependent glucose transporter inhibitor phloridzin (100 mg/kg). In contrast, sissotrin (100 mg/kg) showed an opposite effect, impairing glucose tolerance. In conclusion, these preliminary results indicate that the effect of the extract on blood glucose may be either antihyperglycaemic or hyperglycaemic. Additionally, as far as is known, these are the first in vivo results on the acute antihyperglycaemic potential of isoquercitrin.     

Phylogenetic Characterisation of the Full Genome of a Bagaza Virus Isolate from Bird Fatalities in South Africa

Bagaza virus (BAGV), a member of the Ntaya serogroup in the Flavivirus genus of the Flaviviridae, was isolated from the brain tissue of a Himalayan monal pheasant that died following neurological signs in Pretoria, South Africa in 2016. Next-generation sequencing was carried out on this isolate resulting in a genome sequence of 10980nt. The full genome sequence of this isolate, designated ZRU96-16, shared 98% nucleotide identity with a BAGV isolate found in Culex univitattus mosquitoes from Namibia and 97% nucleotide identity with a Spanish BAGV sequence isolated from an infected partridge. In total, seven amino acid variations were unique to ZRU96-16 after alignment with other BAGV and Israel turkey meningoencephalomyelitis (ITV) genomes. The 3′UTR sequence of ZRU96-16 was resolved with sufficient detail to be able to annotate the variable and conserved sequence elements within this region. Multiple sequence alignment of the 3′UTR suggested that it could be useful in lineage designation as more similar viruses carried similar mutations across this region, while also retaining certain unique sites. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis revealed two clusters containing both BAGV and ITVs from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Broadly, temporal clustering separated isolates into two groups, with one cluster representing viruses from the 1960–2000’s and the other from 2010 onwards. This suggests that there is consistent exchange of BAGV and ITV between Europe and Africa. This investigation provides more information on the phylogenetics of an under-represented member of the Flaviviridae and provides an avenue for more extensive research on its pathogenesis and geographic expansion.     

Radiographic Analysis of Graft Dimensional Changes in Transcrestal Maxillary Sinus Augmentation: A Retrospective Study

Background. The maxillary sinus lift is a popular and predictable technique associated with implant-supported rehabilitation of the severely atrophic maxilla. The aim of the present retrospective study was to investigate the effectiveness of transcrestal maxillary sinus augmentation and the graft resorption pattern using different heterologous bone substitutes. Methods. A total of 75 sinus-grafting procedures were performed and 89 implants were placed in 66 patients, 24 males and 42 females, with mean age 67.9 ± 10.64 years (range 43–84 years). Nineteen subjects were smokers. The mean follow-up period was 93.33 ± 54.71 months (range 14–240 months). Clinical and radiographical evaluations were performed. Graft height and width were measured at baseline and at the latest follow-up. Results. Mesiodistal and vertical resorption averaged 9.3 ± 20.7% (standard deviation), and 5.04 ± 9.9% of the postoperative size, respectively, considering the graft as the unit. Linear regression analysis showed that graft resorption in both the vertical and the mesiodistal dimension is independent of the follow-up time. Conversely, there was a trend for greater resorption when increasing the postoperative graft size, in both vertical (p = 0.001) and horizontal (p = 0.007) dimensions. When grouping the dimensional changes by graft particle size (only small (<300 μm) particles, combination of small and medium (>500 μm)/large (>1000 μm) particles, and only medium/large particles), there was a trend for greater resorption associated with smaller particles, but it was not significant; neither in the mesiodistal nor in the vertical dimension (p = 0.17 and p = 0.25, respectively). No implant was lost during the observation period. In conclusion, the transcrestal technique for maxillary sinus augmentation documented a high level of predictability. The low clinical morbidity and the contextual dental implant positioning is clinically useful in relation to a significant reduction of the time required for implant restoration, a consistent decrease of the number of surgical phases, and a cost-effectiveness approach for the rehabilitation. The graft resorption pattern in all cases was compatible with persistent implant protection and support.     

Cadmium Accumulation in Tomato Cultivars and Its Effect on Expression of Metal Transport-Related Genes

Cadmium (Cd) content was quantified in the shoot of six tomato cultivars and the Cd effect on the expression of LeNRAMP3, LeFER, LeIRT1 and LeNRAMP1 was evaluated. The six tomato cultivars accumulated high Cd concentrations and were able to transport Cd to the fruits. Among the evaluated genes, the Cd-induced level of LeFER expression appeared to provide an evidence regarding the capacity of foliar Cd accumulation in tomato. The results indicate that tomato represents a possible pathway for Cd entry into the food chain and an attractive model organism for the elucidation of the mechanisms involved in Cd accumulation.     

Three Outbreak-causing Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup C Clones,Brazil

During 2003–2012, 8 clusters of meningococcal disease were identified in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, all caused by serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis. The isolates were assigned to 3 clonal complexes (cc): cc11, cc32, and cc103. These hyperinvasive disease lineages were associated with endemic disease, outbreaks, and high case-fatality rates.